


A Steven Universe Christmas

by Kennaye



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-03 02:46:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2835233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kennaye/pseuds/Kennaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steven helps bring the holiday spirit to the Gems!</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Steven Universe Christmas

The bell chimed as Steven entered the Big Donut. It was a brisk winter morning, and as he breathed down on his hands to warm them up; he looked around in wonder. The interior of the shop had changed overnight; the modest furnishings replaced with an array of red, green, and white. A big jolly man adorned a lot of the room, and a flower that would of made his mom smile sat in the corner. It was a truly wonderful seasonal shop look - one Steven hadn't seen before. He walked up to Sadie, determined to ask what was up.

"Sadie, why is everything in here so...wonderful?" Steven felt as if he was practically drooling, so he closed his mouth. He was still mesmerized though. A little red hat with a small white ball on the end of it sat upon Sadie's head as she smiled at Steven.

"They're just Christmas decorations Steven, we were told to decorate this year so me and Lars set them up before we opened this morning." Sadie dropped her voice slightly and gave an annoyed look towards Lars; "Well, Lars was here while I set them up."

"Hey!" Lars yelled, hurt. "I put an ornament on the small tree!"

"You knocked it off!" Sadie retorted.

"Yeah but-" Lars stopped himself mid-sentence and just lowered his head, walking off while grumbling.

"What's Christmas?" Steven asked, playing with an ornament on the tiny tree.

"Christmas is a holiday some people celebrate about bringing family's together." Sadie said, flicking her hat so the ball on the end of her hat got off of her shoulder and back behind her. "Normally on Christmas day all the businesses close down and the town is practically empty because everyone is spending time with their families. How haven't you noticed it?"

Steven stopped playing with the tree and thought hard about what he and his family did at the end of the year. "I mean...I guess the Gem's were always out on missions, and me and my dad would just stay home and play. I never really came into town - I dunno if it was because of Christmas or just coincidence." 

"Well did you ever get a visit from Santa?"

"Who?" Steven's blank stare itself gave the answer.

"Santa...he's that guy." Sadie pointed a pudgy doll of a man dressed in red and black.

Steven approached it carefully. "....Hiii Santa." Sadie facepalmed herself as she shook her head.

"Steven...that's not actually Santa. It's a doll of him." Steven turned and looked at her confused.

"I'm confused...then who's Santa?"

"Santa is a big fat guy who lives up at the North Pole. He watches all the children of the world to see who's being naughty or nice."

"That sounds horrifying." Steven said, staring down at the floor wide-eyed.

"Well it's because he brings all the good little boys and girls gifts to reward them." Sadie elaborated. This got Steven to perk up.

"Wait, you mean that Santa is going to bring me a gift this year?!" Steven asked, eyes full of wonder and irises resembling hearts Jesus Christ how terrifying.

"Well that depends. First you need a tree, and then you would have had to be good all year...." Sadie trailed off, seeing Steven jump up and down causing her to lose her word.

"I'm gonna go get a tree right now!" Steven said as he ran out of the shop. "Thanks Sadie!"

Sadie laughed. "No problem Steven!" She found it nice to see Steven so happy, he brightened up everyone else's day.

* * *

About a week later, while the Gems were out busy with a mission, Steven had the whole Gem household adorned with Christmas decor. Asking his dad for help - and borrowing a few extra decorations the residents of Beach City had laying around, Steven had managed to pack the house full of Christmas cheer before the Gems got home. Upon their arrival - Steven was met with several reactions.

"Ugh! Oh my goodness! Steven!" Pearl shouted, flustered. Steven heard a crash as he ran around the corner, covered in reflective paper called 'tinsel'. Pearl sat in a heap, a wreath hanging around her neck. Amethyst let out a shriek as she admired the decorations.

"Oh my goooooood" Amethyst shrieked again. "I love-love-love-love-LOVE this!" She picked up a little sleigh with Santa in it. "This is adorable!"

"I like it." Garnet said, looking at socks Steven had written all their names on, then stapled them to the wall. 

"What is "it" anyway?" Pearl asked in a huff, pulling the wreath off her neck. "Why is the house covered in weird plants?!" Pearl spotted the tree Steven and Greg had cut down in the corner. "Why is there a tree in the house?"

"Oh! Did you get a random burst of Rose's magic?" Amethyst asked. Garnet nodded in approval, agreeing with the logical option.

"No!" Steven said, spreading his arms out (which cast tinsel everywhere). "I decorated our house for Christmas!"

"I helped." said Greg, who was sitting on a stool drinking hot cocoa in an ugly Christmas sweater. Steven had been told wearing ugly sweaters was a requirement of the holidays.

"What's...Chris-mass?" Pearl tried sounding out the odd-sounding holiday.

"It's a holiday about celebrating family! And on it, a big man named Santa comes and gives everyone presents!" Steven lit a candle that said it smelled like "Christmas Morning".

"Who's Santa?" Amethyst asked.

"I've never heard of him." Garnet added. "And I've never got any presents."

"Well he's this big dude who lives up at the North Pole." Steven said. "He watches all the children of the world to see who is good or bad...and the good ones get presents."

"He watches children?" Amethyst laughed. "Wow that's super creepy."

"No it isn't!" Pearl blushed. "It's perfectly normal!"

"So wait, when's Christmas anyway?" Greg asked, draining the last of his drink.

"Uhhhh well...according to Sadie it was the 25th." Steven counted on his fingers, mumbling to himself. "It's tomorrow!"

"So Santa is coming tonight?" Garnet asked, phasing her gloves onto her hand.

"Uhhh yeah, I guess so." Steven looked down at her weapons. "Why did you summon your gloves?"

 "Isn't he gonna break in our house?" Garnet asked, looking down at her hands.

"Yeag but he's just gonna give me a gift." Steven said. "He's also supposed to eat some cookies and milk-"

Amethyst stopped, cookie in hand and glass half empty. She had a deer-in-the-headlights look - knowing she had fucked up bad but not enough to stop now. "Amethyst! Those are for Santa!"

"Swahry Stven" Amethyst apologized. "Thy jahst lahked suu gowd"

"You don't even need to eat!" Steven said, taking the rest of them and the glass; putting them back on a small table.

Pearl bumped into Steven, holding a small plant. "What is this?" She asked.

"That's mistletoe. You're supposed to kiss whoever else is under it with you."

Pearl's face instantly turned  deep shade of blue. "I-I don't think that makes any sense." she stuttered. "Plus it's unsanitary and-" She was interrupted by Steven quickly pecking her on the cheek, causing her to stop and eyes had a far away look. She fell to the ground, stunned. Everyone laughed, and her face returned to normal; giving a small smile.

"Hey look!" Amethyst pointed under the tree, leaning haphazardly against the wall (Steven hadn't been able to get a tree stand). Underneath it were a few presents, things he had managed to get over the past week and quickly wrap. Each Gem had gotten a gift, and he had at one point gotten some treats for Lion. Lion had found them though, and eaten them; wrapping and all. Greg also had a present, and had gotten a few things for Steven.

"To Garnet." Garnet read the tag on her gift. She started to tear away at the paper, prompting Steven to stop her.

"We can't open them until Christmas day!" Steven said, putting it back. Amethyst groaned with contempt.

"What are all of these?" Pearl asked, holding up more ugly sweaters. Each sweater was the Gem's preferred color, and each one had the ugliest design imaginable.

"Ugly sweaters for all!" Steven said, throwing each one to the corresponding Gem.

"Why?" Amethyst asked, putting hers on.

"They're really...itchy." Pearl said, pulling the neck hole back and scratching.

"It's a tradition!" Steven said. "And the comfortable-lity doesn't matter; what matters is the thought behind receiving them!"

"I like mine bud!" Greg said, standing up and walking over to Steven. Ruffling his hair, he walked towards the door. "However, your old man is tired. I'm going to bed."

"Awhhh dad!" Steven cried. "You can't go to bed now! You'll miss Santa!"

"You'd better hurry to bed yourself pal." Greg laughed. "Santa doesn't come unless everyone is asleep."

"What?!" Steven yelled. "OK, everyone go to bed quick! I don't wanna miss him!"

So, everyone did as Greg said. Tucking themselves into bed, each Gem - including Steven -  went to bed with visions of presents and joy in their dreams.

Except for Garnet; however, who stayed up, waiting for Santa.

* * *

He came in the night - the door opening softly and closing even softer. Making his way over to the tree as quietly as possible, he took a present out of his pillowcase and set it under the tree. Steven was lucky he had told his father about his plans so early in the week - getting the cash for this gift was hard.

Pushing his hat up so he could see better, Greg stood up and stretched. God he was getting old. Turning around, he planned to make his way towards the doorway and back out without being caught. However, Garnet was in his way.

"What are you doing?" Garnet asked, looking Greg up and down. "You're not Santa, but you're dressed like him."

Greg shushed Garnet and looked around. He motioned for her to go outside. Once there, he took off his hat and breathed a relieved sigh.

"Santa doesn't exist Garnet." Greg explained. "It's something parent's do for their kids. I never really did it though...it just didn't feel like Christmas without Rose around."

"Why celebrate it now?"

"You know how Steven is." Greg smiled faintly. "Once he learns about something he jumps right in. Plus I couldn't just crush his dreams like that - he won't be that way forever."

"So I shouldn't tell him about this?" Garnet asked

"I'd love it if you didn't." Greg said. "Steven's still so young, and with the Gem in him might be young forever. But as I keep aging I'm the one who will only get so many of these...I see that now." Looking out at the ocean, Greg breathed out another sigh - the cold air turning his breath white in front of him.

"So when do you think Steven's going to wake up and check?" Garnet asked, turning and facing the house.

"I don't know, but I'd better go get changed before he does." Making his way down the steps, he turned and faced Garnet. "Thanks."

"It's better than some weirdo breaking in." Garnet said, going back inside.

A few hours later was met with a delighted squeal; Steven finding Santa did come that year. Opening up his gifts, he was met with a few new toys and clothes. Amethyst huffed over in the corner.

"Why didn't I get any presents?" She blew her hair up and folded her shoulders.

"You're several hundred years old. You're not a child." Pearl said coldly, looking over the candy Steven had put in her wall-sock. 

"Yeah but I'm a child on the inside, that counts."

"No it doesn't." Garnet said, resting her hand on Amethyst's head. Taking a candy cane, she bit off half of it and swallowed the chunks.

"This has been the best Christmas ever!" Steven said, falling down laughing. Greg looked over at Steven and smiled, happy to see his son happy.

"Hey pal, you get what you want for Christmas?" Greg asked him.

"Yeah dad, everyone is happy!" Steven said. Everyone seemed to be too - Pearl opening her gift finding a new container of sword polish. Amethyst receiving an easy-bake oven, and Garnet getting a new pair of sunglasses. Everyone was happy.

Except for Lapis, who looked on from the window in the cold, wondering where her gift was.

 


End file.
